iDEX

1. About

• iDEX is aimed at creating an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries including Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Start-ups, Individual Innovators, Research & Development (R&D) institutes and Academia and providing them grants/funding and other support to carry out R&D which has potential for future adoption for Indian defence and aerospace needs.
• Two major objectives of iDEX are indigenization and innovation.
• iDEX-Prime supports projects requiring support beyond Rs 1.5 crore up to Rs 10 crore, to help ever-growing start-ups in the defence sector.
• iDEX is funded and managed by “Defence Innovation Organisation” (DIO). DIO is a not-for-profit organisation formed under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013. 
• It is funded by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). It helps as a policy guide to iDEX.

2. Prominence of iDEX

• One of the first aims of India as a nation since its Independence has been to achieve self-reliance in the field of defence and defence production.
• India is the world’s largest defence equipment importer and is expected to spend around USD 220 Billion in the coming decade to modernize its armed forces.
• In recent years, the government of India has initiated various schemes like Make
• In India, Startup India, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), etc. to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the Indian commercial ecosystem.

3. Other prominent initiatives aimed at Indigenous Defence Manufacturing

3.1.‘Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)}’

• To promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment ‘Buy {Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)}’ category has been accorded top priority for procurement of capital equipment.

3.2.DAIC and DAIPA

• To enable the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in defence, Defence AI Council (DAIC) and Defence AI Project Agency (DAIPA) have been created. Also, an AI roadmap has been finalized.

3.3.DAP-2020

• Specific provisions have been introduced in DAP-2020 under the ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’ and ‘Buy (Global – Manufacture in India)’ categories, wherein indigenous production is carried out with the Transfer of Technology (ToT) from foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEM).
• Discharge of offset obligations by foreign OEMs through ToT to Indian enterprises including government institutions has been incorporated.

3.4. SP Model

• Indegeneous manufacturing through a transparent and competitive process, wherein they would tie up with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.

3.5.DRDO

• Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) identified nine thrust areas for focused research, namely Platforms, Weapon System, Strategic Systems, Sensors & Communication Systems, Space, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Material &Devices and Soldier Support.

3.4.TDF

• Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme funds industries, especially – startups and MSMEs up to an amount of Rs. 10 Crore. It is for innovation, research and development of defence Technologies in the field of defence and Aerospace.

3.5.The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

• The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle designed and developed by DRDO, has been successfully tested in fully autonomous mode.
• DRDO carried out the successful maiden flight of the ‘Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator’ from the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

4. Prominence of Indigenisation of the Defense Sector

• Self-defense: The presence of hostile neighbours like China and Asian country makes it inconceivable for the Asian nation to spice up its protection and readiness.
• Strategic advantage: Independence can build India’s government stance strategically stronger as an internet security supplier.
• Technological advancement: Advancement within the defence technology sector can mechanically boost alternative industries thus catapulting the economy additional ahead.
• Economic drain: the Asian nation spends around a third-dimensional of GDP on defence and hr of that's spent on imports. This results in an associate degree with a large economic drain.
• Employment: Defence producing can want the support of various alternative industries that generate employment opportunities.

5.Need for Indigenisation 

• The national capital International Peace analysis Institute (SIPRI) rumoured that the Republic of India was the world’s second-largest bourgeois of major arms in 2014-18 and accounted for nine.5% of the worldwide total and India’s military expenditure rose by three.1%.
• C&AG report, 2011 to the Parliament, highlighted the ninetieth import dependency of geographic area physical science Ltd (HAL) for ‘raw materials and bought-out things for the assembly of autochthonous instrumentation.
• India has been defrayal around four-dimensional of its gross domestic product on defence.
• The independence Index (SRI) (the magnitude relation of autochthonous content of defence procurements to the whole expenditure on defence procurements during a monetary year) is at a coffee of zero.

6. Conclusionary Remarks

• “iDEX has provided an opportunity to our science and technology professionals to understand futuristic technologies such as AI, Augmented Reality, Block-chain and Space technologies.